BEST OF 1010 THRIVE REPLAY: Highly Favored (Part 13)

This week we are replaying "Best of" episodes from the past.

In this reprise of Highly Favored: Part 13, the moment long foretold by the prophets finally arrives as Mary gives birth to Jesus in a humble stable in Bethlehem. Despite the modest surroundings, the atmosphere is filled with awe and holiness as Joseph tenderly cares for Mary and wraps the newborn in swaddling cloths. The baby, named Jesus as the angel instructed, embodies the promise of "Emmanuel—God with us," and the couple marvels at the wonder of His birth, cherishing the quiet sanctity of the moment.

Meanwhile, shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem experience a heavenly revelation as an angel announces the Savior’s birth. The dark sky is illuminated by the glory of a multitude of angels, singing praises and declaring peace to all people on earth. Overwhelmed but inspired, the shepherds rush to find the child, following the star that guides them to the stable. There, they bow in reverence before Jesus, offering humble gifts and sharing the story of the angelic proclamation.

After leaving the stable, the shepherds spread the good news throughout Bethlehem, their joy and excitement igniting hope in all who hear them. Within the stable, Mary reflects on the extraordinary events, cradling her son and whispering her belief that the world will soon come to know Him as the Messiah. The chapter closes with a sense of divine purpose and quiet anticipation, as the humble beginnings of Jesus’s life foreshadow the transformative impact He will have on the world.